Chip holder



R. 1. PARTRIDGE I Dec. "26, 1944.

CHIP HOLDER Filed March 10, 1944 Patented Dec. 26, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHIP HOLDER Robert I. Partridge, Arcadia, Calif. Application March 10, 1944, SerialNo. 525,835

s'claims. (o1. 211-49) substantially identical in construction. The hold- This invention relates to a holder for chips, coins or similar articles, and the invention is particularly useful when embodied in a holder for carrying chips such as poker chips, or similar chips, used in playing any game. i

One ofthe'objects of the invention is to pro vide a'holder in which stacks of chips of difierent colors or denominations can be conveniently carried, and to construct the holder of separate sections so constructed that when desired, the sections can beseparated from teach other, and set up in a convenient manner to hold the chips'in accessible stacks. A further object of the invention is to produce a holder of this kind, composed of two substantially identical sections having a correlated construction on their adjacent faces, enabling them to interlock with each other to form compartments for carrying the chips, to provide the same with simple detachable means for latching the sections together to form the complete holder; also to construct latching means in sucha way as to enable the same to assume a set position in which it will operate as a foot orrest to support each sectionindependently, and in a position to hold the chips readily accessible. in recesses on the face of the section.

Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter. V

The invention consists in the novel parts and combination of parts to be described hereinafter, all of which contribute to produce an eflicient chip holder.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the following specification, while the broad scope of the'invention is pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan of a holder embodying the invention, one end of the figure being'broken awa and shown in cross-section. Y

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the holder.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken through the. holder on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the holder takenon the line -4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through one of the separable sections, showing the same set up and holding a stack of chips in an accessible position.

Fig. 6 is an elevation showing one of the inside or adjacent faces of one of the separable sections.

In practicing the invention, I provide a holder I (see Fig. 1) which comprises two separable Sections 2 and 3. These sections are preferably er is formed with a plurality of chip compartments 4 which, in the present instance, are four in number; The complete holder is of block-form, but the outer or remote sides of the sections 2 and 3 are cut away to form deep grooves 5 to save' material, and reduce the weight of the holder.

In this way, the holder is made to present cylindrical walls 6 (see Fig. l) at the different compartments.

5). In order to'enable the sections to be locked together to form'a closed holder and, at thesame time, to render them readily separable in this way, I prefer to form the adjacent vertical faces I of the sections (see Fig. 4) with interlocking means to limit the relative movement of the sections on eachother. In order to accomplish this and, at the same time, to provide supporting means for the chips in theseparated sections, I

' provide the lower face of the section 3 with projecting tongues 8 located between thechip chambers 4, and these tongues are countersunkin corresponding grooves 9 in the lower face of the section 2. At the upperside o'fflthe holder a similar construction is employed as indicatedin Fig. 4, in which 10 indicates one of the projecting tongues, and II indicates the countersunk groove to receive the same. The material of the sections that form the upper and lower faces of the completeholder, extends outwardly to provide projecting means such as flanges l2 and I3 that project inwardly around the bore of the compartments 4. These flanges operate as shelves to support the chips, and prevent their falling out of the compartments 4 when the'holder is being carried full of chips.

I provide readily detachable means for securing 'the holder sections together in the relation indicated, in Fig. '4. For this purpose -I prefer to employ light bands or latchbars M of spring material; Each of these latch bars I4 is preferably formed with afoot i 5 that is secured to the remote or outer faceof its corresponding'section (see'Fig. 4), and the attachment is preferablymade at the bottom of one of the grooves 5. In the present construction I illustrate two of these latch bars l4 that are attached at the middle of the body. Each latch bar has a substantially straight extension 16 that extends across the upper face or the lower face of the body, as illustrated in Fig. 4, and is provided at its end with a tongue or snap shoulder ll, which is adapted to snap over the adjacent edge l8 of the opposite section. When these shoulders H are snapped over the edges l8, the holder sections are securely held together.

When it is desired to'open up the holder and set up the sections so as to enable the chips to be used in play, the ends of the extensions l6 are pressed outwardly by exerting force upon them adjacent the shoulder l1. This will release them and enable the sections, to be separated. This latching means is so constructed that after it has been released to enable the holder sections to be separated, it will cooperate ing to form compartments for the chips, said sec- 'tions having interlocking means for limiting the erably tilted back with the axes of the recesses t hold a stack of-chips I9 in an exposed act i and having means for engaging the sections to iigclined from a vertical line as indicated in Fig. 5,

c ssible position. This can be accomplishedby pulling the bodies of latch bars l4 rearwardly in the manner indicated in Fig. 5, and seating the tongue I! in a socket on the back of the section. Each socket 2D ispreferably formed in the under .face of a boss 21 (see Figs. 4 and 5).

The-intermediate adjacent faces I of the sections may, if desired, be provided with scales 22 respectively, which number progressively from the bottom of each section when set up independently. These scales enable the chips to be counted at a glance.

The use of the flangeslZ and 13, instead of making the upper and lower faces of the sections solid heads, is advantageous because it provides clearance for the thumb or finger of a player in removing an entire stack of chips from one said sections against relative movement, latch bars carried respectively by the sections extending across the upper and lower faces of the holder,

, maintain the same latched together.

A holder for chips or the like, comprising two separable sections, said sections having adjacent faces with registering recesses'therein cocompartment to another, or in taking a stack of chips, from a compartment.

The holder may be made of any desired material, for example, any of the well-known compositions now on the market employed for making small articles.

j It is understood that the embodiment of the invention describedherein is only one of the many embodiments this invention may take, and I, do not wish to be limited in the practice of the invention, nor in the claims, to the particular embodiment set forth.

WhatIclaim l. A-holder for chips or the like, comprising two separable sections, said sections having -ad-- jacent faces with registering recesses therein cooperating to form compartments for the chips, said sections having interlocking means for limiting the said .sectionsagainst relative movement, said sections having means movably mounted thereon respectively -f0r securing the two separable sections together and capable of supporting thesections in a separated condition to render the chips in the said recesses readily accessi ble.

2. A holder for chips or the like, comprising two separable sections, said sections having adjacentfaces with registering recesses therein cooperating to form compartments for the chips, said sections having interlocking means for limiting the said sections against relative movement, said sections having means movably mounted operating to form compartments for the chips, said sections having interlocking means for limiting the said sections against relative movement, latch bars secured respectively to the remote faces of the said sections, each latch bar having an extension to project across. both sections, and hay-- ing a yielding'snapshoulder for engagingthe op-. posite section to hold the sections together, said latch bars being capable of holding each section in an inclined position when thesections are sep arated to expose chips held in the recesses of the section. 4 r

5. A holder for chips or the:like, comprising two substantially identical separable sections, said sections having adjacent faces with registeringrecesses therein cooperating to form compartments for the chips, said adjacent faces having interlocking tongues andgrooves for limiting the sections against movement with respect to.

each other, said sections havingsockets, respectively, and having resilient latch barssecured respectively' at the remote faces of the sections,

said latch bars having. extensions respectively extending across the upper and lower faces of the holder, and having tongues for engaging the outer sides of the sections to hold the sameftogether, said latch bars capable of assuming a set position When the sections are separated, in which the'said tongues engage the sockets of the corresponding sections to support the sectionsfs'eparated and in a tilted position to present chips'heldin the recesse inan accessible position. f v

6. A holder 'for chips or [the like, comprising two separable sections, saidsection's having adjacent faces with a'plurality of halfround registering recesses therein cooperating to form compartments for the chips, a resilient latch bar secured to the remote side of each section, said latch bars having extensions projecting "respectively across the bottonrfa'ce' and llIJPEl face of the holder, and having yielding means at the ends of said extensions forgsnap'ping over the opposite section to hold the-sections latched together.

7 ame "I. mi ee. 

